Former Barnsley captain Marc Roberts says his return to Oakwell tomorrow will be 'an emotional day' but is focusing on getting a crucial win for new club Birmingham City.

The 27-year-old centre-back, who played 85 games for his hometown club, signed a five-year contract with the Blues in the summer after moving for a reported £3.5million.

The Penistone man told the Chronicle: "I am really looking forward to the game, but it's going to be an emotional day. It will be weird turning up as an away player and hopefully I don't go in the wrong dressing room. It will be good to get back on Oakwell and hopefully I get a good reception from the fans. I made some great memories at that club and with those fans. I hope they know how much of a struggle it was for me to leave and they still respect me and we can keep the bond we had before.

"With the length of the contract at Birmingham and the financial side of things, it was a chance to secure my future that I couldn't really turn down. I am fully committed to Birmingham now but I'm still a Barnsley boy and it's a very special club to me."

Roberts was one of several of last year's promotion heroes to leave the club, with his former team-mate Andy Yiadom now interesting West Bromwich Albion.Marc said: "We had sensational players and a sensational group ethic. You think: what would have happened if we stayed together? But you can't dwell on it."

Roberts now lives in the West Midlands but often returns to see friends and family in Barnsley while he has been at Penistone Church matches this season. He joined Barnsley from non-league Halifax in 2015 then helped them to promotion and captained them last season.

"I can't thank Barnsley enough. It was life-changing to get my chance in professional football with them after I was getting to the point where I thought I might be a non-league player for my whole career. Coaches like Hecky (Paul Heckingbottom) and Lee Johnson before him gave me the tools and belief to make it in the Championship and I will always be grateful to them. There are only one or two Barnsley players I don't know. It will be nice to see my friends there but during the game I will be looking to beat them. We need the points."

Roberts started City's first five matches of the season but was then dropped for seven weeks before returning for the last four games. Birmingham drew 0-0 with bitter rivals Aston Villa on Sunday then lost 2-0 at home to Brentford on Wednesday, leaving them just above the relegation zone in 21st place with 12 points from 15 matches.

After spending more than £15million in the summer, they are two points above the drop zone and four behind 19th-placed Barnsley. The Reds will play the lowest scorers in the EFL for the second successive match as Burton Albion's goals in their 4-2 loss to Barnsley on Tuesday meant Birmingham's tally of eight is the lowest from the Championship to League Two.

The Blues have the worst away record in the division after losing six and drawing one of their seven games on the road, scoring three goals and conceding 15.Barnsley have a poor home record after only winning two of their last 16 league matches at Oakwell since January.

City are managed by Steve Cotterill who took over after Harry Redknapp was sacked in September after six straight defeats. Roberts said: "It's been a tough season so far. It reminds me of my first season at Barnsley when we were bottom of League One about this point but then we got promoted. We're a good side and we're not playing badly but we're just not getting the results."

Like their city rivals Villa, who have never lost at Oakwell, Birmingham have a very good record in Barnsley. Since World War Two, the Blues have won 15 of their 25 away games against the Reds while losing just four and conceding less than a goal per game. Barnsley are unbeaten in the last three meetings including last season's 3-0 win at St Andrew's, in which Roberts opened the scoring, followed 28 days later by a 2-2 draw at Oakwell when the hosts blew a 2-0 lead after Roberts was sent off after conceding a penalty.

Roberts' former centre-back partner Adam Jackson is expected to be out for several months after tearing the posterior cruciate ligament in his knee during the loss to Hull City last month. Gary Gardner, whose brother Craig is at Birmingham, has returned to training but is not in contention for tomorrow.